Quick opening vehicle hauling compartment



Dec. 24, 1940. w. D. WALLING QUICK OPENING VEHICLE HAULING COMPARTMENTFiled Oct. 16, 1939 INVENTOR. FILLING ATTORNEY.

WHLTER 11W 977. 7

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Walter B. Walling,Granger, Iowa, assignor of one-half to Iowa Charming C. Haskell,Granger,

Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,671

6Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a haulingcompartment for a delivery or pick-up truck or a like vehicle that hasside or end portions that may be quickly and easily manually opened orclosed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compartment having afoldable side door that is yieldingly held in a closed position when thesame is so placed and is yieldingly held in an open position when soplaced in that condition.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a compartmenthaving a foldable toggle side door that is economical in manufacture anddurable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claimsand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of my compartment with one of the side doors openand one side door 25 closed.

Fig. 2 is a right side view of my compartment with the folding toggledoor closed.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of my compartment taken substantiallyon line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plane view of one of the adjustable sleevesslidably mounted on one of the operating bars.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the means for connecting one of theoperating bars to a door section.

The use of doors and gates for closing the openings in a truck or likebodies are well known. Usually such doors or gates are not easily andquickly opened or closed, and when in a closed condition, they must besecured and locked to eliminate accidental opening. Although myinvention may be employed on any compartment, where a quick opening andclosing door is desired, my door is particularly adapted for the closingof large openings in the sides of the hauling compartment of trucks andlike. .More specifically, I find that my device is most useful inconnection with milk can trucks. Most milk can trucks have a daily routewhere they stop at diiferent farm homes and pick up a comparativelylarge number of cans of milk and cream. The truck bodies are usuallyfree of openings in either sides or ends. Therefore, it is necessary forthe vehicle operator to climb up on the truck each time a can isdeposited in the truck or removed from the same. This is not only a lossin time and energy, but the work is further complicated by the necessityof. a cover or like that should be placed over the tops of the cans forprotecting the milk and cream from the sun. 5

Y I have overcome such problems by providing a compartment that may havea fixed top and with its side portion capable of having its major areaopened or closed. By such an arrangement, the operator of the vehicledoes not have to climb 10 upon the vehicle to place or remove cans fromthe same, inasmuch as the major portion of the 7 side of the compartmentmay be easily opened.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral III to designate acompartment having a 15 top H. The numerals I 2 and I3 designate twocomparatively shallow vertical side walls extending upwardly from thebottom portion of the compartment as shown in Fig. 1. By thisconstruction, comparatively large side openings are 20 provided in thecompartment extending from the tops of these members I! and I3 to thetop U. My foldable toggle doors are designed to close these large sideopenings at times. The numeral H designates a section hingedly securedto the portion [2 along its adjacent edge and is capable of being swungoutwardly from this side opening or capable of being swung upwardly toclose a portion of the side opening. A similar section I5 is hingedlysecured to the member I3. The nuso meral l6 designates a sectionhingedly secured to the free marginal edge of the member l4 and iscapable of folding on to the inner side of the member ll when the member[-4 is in a lowered opened condition. These two sections I l and I6completely close the opening in the left side of the compartment when inclosed condition. A similar section I! is hinged to the free marginaledge of the member I5 for closing the other side opening of thecompartment. When the openings in the compartment are closed by thesesections, the section [4 will extend vertically above the member I 2 andthe section l6 will extend directly vertically above the section [4.Likewise the section l5 will extend vertically above the member I3 andthe hinged section I I will extend vertically above the section l5.

The equipment for toggling the sections I4 and I6 is an exact duplicateof the equipment for toggling the sections l5 and I1, and therefore, theequipment used on the sections l5 and I! will only be described withsimilar movements for like equipment secured to the sections l4 and I6.Thenumeral l8 designates a bar having one end pivotally secured to thecenter portion of the rear end of the compartment. A like bar I9 ispivotally secured to' the center portion of the front end of thecompartment. The pivoted ends of these two bars l8 and sl9 are slightlybelow the horizontal plane of the upper marginal edges of the sectionsl4 and I5 when these sections are in a. closed condition. When all ofthe side sections are in a closed condition, the bars l8 and I9 willextend upwardly and outwardly and are pivotally secured at their outerends by hook members 20 to the upper two corner portions of the sectionII, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5. The numeral 2| designates a slidablemounted sleeve on the length of the bar 18. This sleeve is capable ofbeing tightened and held on the bar against movement by the bolt 22. Asimilar sleeve 23 is on the bar l9. These adjustable sleeves 2| and 23are normally located near the outer free ends of the bars. The numeral24 designates a coil spring having one end secured to the upper rear endof the compartment, and its other end secured by a suitable means to thesleeve 2|, as shown in Fig. 1. A similar spring 25 has one end securedto the upper front end of the compartment and its other end operativelysecured to the sleeve 23. Obviously when the section I! is in a closedcondition, its upper corner portions will be yieldingly held toward thecompartment against accidental opening and against rattle. The numeral26 designates a second similar adjustable sleeve and bolt, on the bar I8, and located on the bar between its inner end and the sleeve 2|. Asimilar sleeve and bolt 27 is on the bar 19. The numeral 28 designates acoil spring having one end operatively secured to the sleeve 26 and itsother end operatively secured to the lower left corner of the sectionII, as shown in' Fig. 2. A like spring 29 has one end operativelysecured to the sleeve 21 and its other end operatively secured to thelower right hand corner portion of the section II, as shown in Fig. 2.When the sections l5 and H are in closed condition, these springs 28 and29 yieldingly hold the lower corners of the section I! and the uppermarginal edge portion of the section IS in due contact with and towardthe body of the compartment. The numeral 30 designates a handle memberon the upper central portion of the section l5.

To open the right side of the compartment it is now necessary to pulloutwardly and downwardly on the handle 30. This action causes thesection 15 to spring outwardly and downwardly into vertical downwardlyextending positions, but due to the pivoting action, the lower portionof the section H, which is hinged to the section l5, will move outwardlyand downwardly until it has moved on to the inner side of the section I5with its upper end portion still uppermost and with its plane still inthe vertical but parallel with the section l5, as shown in Fig. 1. The.beginning of the movement of these two sections into an open and foldedcondition is against the yielding action of the springs v24, 25, 28, and29, but after the bars l8 and I9 toggle past their centers, relative tothe pull of these springs, the springs will then tend to pull and holdthe sections l5 and I! in an open position, as shown in Fig. 1. Thistoggle action permits the yieldingly holding of the section either in anopen condition or a closed condition. To close this side of thecompartment it is merely necessary to move the lower end of the memberl5 outwardly and upwardly past the dead center after which the springswill move the sections l5 and I I into a closed condition, as shown inFig. 2. Regardless of whether the sections l5 and I! are in open orclosed positions, the sleeves will yieldingly hold them in position andagainst rattle or noise.

Each side of the hauling compartment may be equipped with sides capableof being opened and as herein noted, each side would be substantially aduplicate of the other. In Fig. 1, I have used the numerals I8, 24' and28 to designate duplicates of the arms I8, 24, and 28 at the other sideof the'compartment.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of myimproved quick opening vehicle hauling compartment without departingfrom the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intentionto cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use ofmechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within theirscope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a compartment having an opening,a closing section hinged along one of its marginal edges to saidcompartment and capable of closing a portion of said opening at times;said section capable of being swung outwardly away from said opening, asecond closing section hingedly secured to the opposite marginal edgeportion of said first mentioned section and capable of closing a portionof said opening at times; said second closing section capable of beingswung inwardly adjacent the inner side of first section when said firstsection is in an open position, a bar having one end pivotally securedto said compartment and its other end pivotally secured to the uppercorner portion of said second section, a coil spring having one endsecured to said bar and its other end secured to the lower cornerportion of said second mentioned section, and a second spring having oneend secured to said compartment and its other end secured to said bar;said springs and said bar being so positioned that said springs willtoggle with said bar for yieldingly holding said two sections in aclosing condition over said opening or in an open condition away fromsaid open- 2. In a device of the class described, a compartment havingan opening, a closing section hinged along one of its marginal edges tosaid compartment and capable of closing a portion of said opening attimes; said section capable of being swung outwardly away from saidopening, a second closing section hingedly secured to the oppositemarginal edge portion of said first mentioned section and capable ofclosing a portion of said opening at times; said second closing sectioncapable of being swung inwardly adjacent the inner side of first sectionwhen said first section is in an open position, a bar having one endpivotally secured to said compartment and its other end pivotallysecured to the upper corner portion of said second section, a coilspring having one end adjustably secured to said bar and its other endsecured to the lower corner portion of said second mentioned section,and a second spring having one end secured to said compartment and itsother end adjustably secured to said bar; said springs and said barbeing so positioned that said springs will toggle with said bar foryieldingly holding said two sections in a closing condition over saidopening or in an open condition away from said opening.

3. In a device of the class described, a compartment housing having anopening in one of its sides, a closing section having its lower mar- 76ginal edge hingedly secured to said housing capable of being swung inone direction for closing a portion of said opening and capable of beingswung outwardly and downwardly to an open position, a second closingsection hingedly secured to the free end of said first section capableof closing a portion of said opening at times and capable of being swungadjacent the inner side of said first section when said first section isin an open position, a bar having one end adjacently secured to saidhousing at a point below the plane of the upper marginal edge of saidfirst section when said first section is in, a closed position, and itsother end adjacently secured to the upper corner portion of said secondsection, a coil spring having one end secured to the upper portion ofsaid housing and its other end secured to said bar, and a second springhaving one end secured to said bar and its other end secured to one ofthe lower corner portions of said second section; said springs and saidbar being so positioned one to the other that said springs and said barwill provide a toggle action for yieldingly holding said sections in aclosed condition or in an open condition.

4., In a device of the class described, a compartment housing having anopening in one of its sides, a closing section having its lower marginaledge hingedly secured to said housing capable of being swung in onedirection for closing a portion of said opening and capable of beingswung outwardly and downwardly to an open position, a second closingsection hingedly secured to the free end of said first section capableof closing a portion of said opening at times and capable oi! beingswung adjacent the inner side of said first section when said firstsection is in an open position, a bar having one end adjacently securedto said housing at a point below the plane of the upper marginal edge ofsaid first section when said first section is in a closed position, andits other end adjacently secured to the upper comer portion of saidsecond section, a coil spring having one end secured to the upperportion of said housing and its other end secured to said bar, and asecond spring having one end secured to said bar and its other endsecured to one of the lower corner portions of said second section; saidsprings and said bar being so positioned one to the other that saidsprings and said bar will provide a toggle action 1or yieldingly holdingsaid sections in a closed condition or in an open condition, and ahandle member on one of the said sections. 7

5. In a device of the class described, a housing having an opening inone or its sides, a shallow side wall on the bottom of said housingextending upwardly into said opening, a closing section having its lowermarginal edge hingedly secured said opening.

to the upper marginal edge of said wall; said section capable of beingswung from an upwardly extending closing condition to a downwardlyextending open position, a second closing section hingedly secured atits lower marginal edge to the upper marginal edge of said first sectionwhen said first section is in a closing condition; said second sectioncapable of being swung inwardly adjacent the inner side of said firstsection when said first section is in an open condition, a bar havingone end adjacently secured to said housing at a point below the-plane ofthe upper marginal edge of said first section when said first section isin a closed position, and its other endtadjacently secured to the uppercorner portion of said second section, a coil spring having one endsecured to the upper portion of said housing and its other end securedto said bar, and a second spring having one end secured to said bar andits other end secured to one of the lower corner portions of said secondsection; said springs and said bar being so positioned one to the otherthat said springs and said bar will provide a toggle action foryieldingly holding said sections in a closed condition or in an opencondition, and

a handle member on one of the said sections.

6. In a device of the class described, a compartment having an opening,a section for closing the lower portion of said opening at times, ahinge means rigidly secured to said compartment along the lower marginaledge of its opening and rigidly to said section for hingedly securingsaid section to said compartment, whereby said section may be swungoutwardly and downwardly away from said opening or upwardly for closingthe lower portion of said opening, a second section hingedly secured tosaid first mentioned section and capable of closing the upper portion ofsaid opening at times; said second section capable of being swunginwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner side of said first sectionwhen said first section is in an open lowered position, a bar having oneend pivotally secured to said comparte ment and its other end pivotallysecured to the upper portion of said second section, a coil springhaving one end secured to said bar, a substantial distance from itsouter end and its other end secured to the lower portion of said secondsection, a second spring having one end secured to said compartment andits other end secured to said bar at a point to the rear of where saidfirst mentioned spring is secured to said bar; said springs and said barbeing so positioned that said springs will toggle with said bar foryieldingly holding said sections in closed condition over said openingor in an open condition away from WALTER D. WALLIN G.

